Invisible Man
by Venus163
Summary: Daisuke has been in love with Miyako for years, but he has waited much too long to confess to it. Their friendship takes a turn when Miyako's boyfriend Ken made dinner reservations. Now the only way Daisuke has a chance... is to speak from his heart. A Da


A/N: Ve here, back with a short Daiyako/Dailei fic after an involuntary retirement. Actually, it's a piece of sweet, fluffy nonsense. I know Dai-chan is rather OC in it (he's over Hikari and has been for a long time) but he's quite OC in lots of other fics in which he is portrayed as a huge jerk, so I'm thinking I'm balancing it out. I guess Ken is also, but he isn't meant to turn out like a jerk… well, you be the judge. 

_Invisible Man_ is a song by 98 Degrees, for those of us who are less than enthusiastic about American pop music. I admit I am starting to grow distant from the genre myself as the number of songs with good lyrics decreases.

This fic is dedicated to AC Ishida. Thanks for being there and for all the support you have given me. I meant a lot to me.

Read. Enjoy. Review.

INVISIBLE MAN                                                                                                  3-26-02 

By Venus163

He looked up as the sound of happy laughter invaded his privacy in a small corner of the park, a serene little place hidden by shadows. His heart lightened and his whole body felt warm as he grasped onto its familiarity. A small smile curled his lips as the tinkling laughter came again, the sound that he would never get tired of.

His smile widened as he realized the cherished note of happiness was coming closer.

A second voice joined the first, but this time the chuckles were deep and masculine. The smile fading from his face, he forlornly leaned back against the tree, his heart growing heavier than lead and feeling as if he would never get warm.

She loves another. If there ever was a chance for him to be with her he had let it go a long time ago.

Motomiya Daisuke nodded numbly to himself; trying to stop himself from loving her like he had always did, like he had for almost six months.

_Fool. He had waited too long, much too long. He had been scared, he admitted it now. Scared that she didn't love him back, that she would reject him. He had kept putting off telling her day after day, trying to gather up some more courage._

And when he finally had...

She had slipped through his fingers and into the arms of his best friend.

_They make the cutest couple, his friends had cooed. __They seem to have been made for each other. He had to admit that, deep inside, he bitterly resented them all, his friends. He couldn't help it. It was too much for him to hear all their praise for the couple, just too much when all he wanted to do was tear her out of his arms and scream, "She's mine!"_

If only love was that simple.

"Hey, what are you doing out here all alone, handsome?"

He looked up and smiled at Yagami Hikari's pretty face. "Just thinking..."

She flashed him a pretty, knowing smile, and again, he was hit with the sense that she knew everything and was being sympathetic.

Shaking his head, he asked, "Aren't you supposed to be with your boyfriend?"

"Oh, TK? He's busy today," she said, with a queer little jerk in her voice. "But hey!" she said quickly. "I thought that it would be a great opportunity to come visit my good friend and cheer him up."

"Cheer me up? Why would I need cheering up?" Daisuke asked, trying to be blithe.

"Don't lie to me," she simply said. "You haven't been yourself for nearly six months."

He prayed fervently that she couldn't see the connection.

The heavens must have heard him, for Hikari turned and stared at the sky. "You know what?"

"What?"

"Fight for what you love," she said, her eyes tranquil with an unusual seriousness and deep grief. "Once it's in your grasp, never, ever let it go. If you do, you might lose the only chance for happiness that you'll ever have."

And as he gaped at her, she stood, waved to him, and left.

_Fight for what you love... That had been her words. Daisuke bitterly leaned back on the tree trunk. That would prove very useful for him. The girl he loved had already eluded his grasp._

He stood up and was brushing the dirt off of his clothes when they made their grand entrance.

Automatically, his eyes were glued on _her_. She was so beautiful... She always was, but today, after her outing, she looked positively stunning. He wished that he could have said as much, but with her boyfriend looking at him suspiciously, he bit down the remark just ready to leave his tongue and instead said, "Hi. Having a nice time?"

Inoue Miyako reached out and gave him a friendly hug, although he wished desperately that it were more. "Oh yes! We had so much fun! Let me tell you..."

He listened attentively, imagining that he had been the one to have done so many things with her that day, and not Ichijouji Ken. Dreams… they were all that he would ever have.

When her boyfriend interrupted the sweet girl's ramblings and asked him coolly about his day, Daisuke forced his eyes away from hers and answered politely that it had been going all right.

And then, Miyako and Ken had walked away from him, talking about some dinner reservations at some fancy restaurant. He sighed in defeat as he watched them walk away together. Dinner reservations... fancy restaurant... He couldn't afford that even if his life depended on it. It was just another point in favor of Ken... the score, since he had started taking it six months ago, was now Ken: 1001, Him: Zip.

As he walked home, his step and heart heavy, the wind caressed his cheek and his hair, and for one, short moment, *her* hand was running through his hair, touching his cheek. Then, it was gone, but not before murmuring a cruel remark into his ear...

_Fight for what you love..._

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

The ringing of the telephone later that night waked Daisuke. Glancing at the clock, he observed that it was five minutes before midnight. It took him a few seconds for it to sink in, but when it did he picked it off the hook quickly before its harsh ringing would disturb the other members of his family. "Hello?"

"Daisuke… is that you?"

He nearly dropped the phone. He could recognize that voice anywhere; it was the voice that whispered confessions of love into his ear in the darkness of night and in the depths of his dreams. "Miyako?"

Her voice sounded desperate. "Are you busy?"

"No, of course not," he answered, in all honesty. He was never too busy for her.

"Could you meet me at the park?" She asked, audibly upset.

His heart ached. "Of course. I'll see you in a couple minutes, alright?"

"Okay."

He hung up and pulled on his clothes agitatedly. It hurt him to know she was unhappy, whatever the reason would be. He wondered only briefly why she had called him and not Ken, but he had crept out of the house and was running before he could speculate further.

He found her hunched form on a park bench, curled in a fetal position, arms around her knees in a tight grasp.

Daisuke put his hand gently on her shoulder. "Miyako?"

She looked up at him, her eyes awash with tears. She stared up at him for a few more moments before looking away, more tears running down her face.

"Don't cry," he whispered, moving to sit next to her on the bench. He hesitated for only a moment before he put his arm around her, holding her close and offering her solace in the only way he knew how.

Miyako buried her face in his shoulder, weeping disconsolately, for a moment. With a bitter tone to her voice she said, "Dinner reservations, huh?"

"Miyako…" Daisuke began.

She ignored him, instead resting her wet cheek against his shoulder. "What kind of cruel, heartless person goes out of his way to get dinner reservations at the most romantic restaurant… just to break up?"

He was stunned into silence.

"_It's not you_, he said, _it's me_… and a hundred other reasons why he was doing this. And I… and I…" she fell silent before saying, her voice cracking, "I thought he loved me…"

She wept quietly, and Daisuke brought her closer, stroking her hair gently.

"Dai- am I ugly?" she asked desperately, clinging to him.

"Of course not," he answered, speaking with all sincerity.

She gave a sob. "Please… be honest with me…"

For a moment Daisuke wondered what he could possibly say to make her believe him. Taking a deep breath, he began to speak from the heart. "You… ugly? Anyone who thinks that must be a fool. Oh Miya," he said softly, caressing her back, "if you could only see what I see, through my eyes. Whenever I look at you…" He paused, searching for the words. "I… I see the most beautiful girl in the world, a lovely flower amongst weeds. I see someone so compassionate and caring, that she could only be a wingless angel. I look at a girl who is so sensitive and intelligent I think she's a princess, a girl who's passionate about what she believes and who she cares about, a goddess amongst mortals. When I look at you, Miya," he said, suddenly out of things to say, "I see… I see perfection… in its highest form…"

Daisuke remained silent as she breathed softly, her eyes mercifully closed in slumber. He remained that way for a long while, gazing at her in adoration. Smiling, he picked her up in his arms and began walking to her home as the sun began to chase colors over the sky. Cradling her as if she would break with the wrong touch, he whispered, "I love you, Miya…"

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

"Hello?"

"May I speak to Daisuke?"

"It's me, what's up?"

"Oh, Daisuke! It's Hikari. Do you by any chance know where Miyako is?"

Daisuke frowned. "I'm afraid not."

Hikari sounded annoyed. "I don't know what to tell Ichijouji. I've called just about everywhere looking for her and he's in some panicked state-"

"Ken? What does he want?" asked Daisuke, suddenly alert.

Hikari sighed. "I don't know. He's been tying up my line all morning, looking for Miyako. Something about a big mistake last night… I wonder what?"

Daisuke ignored the sudden dryness in his mouth. "Well, tell him that I haven't a clue where she is, either."

The girl sighed over the phone, but her next words were joyful. "Oh Daisuke! You and your hinting!"

"My what?" he asked, but knowing perfectly well what she was talking about.

"I know you know! You hinted to Takeru, and… oh, I'm so happy!"

"I never," Daisuke lied, but he knew she didn't believe him.

"The flowers did it, Daisuke. You… You'll come, won't you?"

He smiled. "If it's all right with your TK."

She gave a giggle. "Of course it'll be! You're a great friend!"

"Be happy, Kari," he said, before hanging up. His smile faded quickly. Taking in a deep breath, he could still smell Miyako's scent, could still feel her in his arms…

Startled, Daisuke looked up as the doorbell rang. Remembering that his parents were out and Jun on a date, he walked to the door and opened it. "Ye- Miyako!"

"Hello, Dai," she said. "Could we go to the park?"

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

"Ken's been looking all over for you," Daisuke said gently.

"I don't want to see him," she declared, arms crossed. "I don't want to hear any excuses or apologies."

"He sounded really upset, though," he argued, although his chest tightened as he did so.

"I was too, yesterday."

They fell into an uncomfortable silence, Daisuke unwilling to say anymore with her so withdrawn. It felt so wrong, though, that there should be discomfiture between them when they had been so close when they were younger.

Miyako suddenly laughed. "I must look a total wreck," she said, looking up at him. "I feel awful."

"You look fine," Daisuke answered, smiling back. "Just like a flower, as a matter of fact."

Miyako suddenly looked up at him, eyes wide. "Dai…"

"Yes, Miyako?"

"Yesterday wasn't a dream, was it?"

At a loss for words, all he could do was stare.

She stopped and continued to gaze at him in wonder. "Last night you called me beautiful, a flower. You said I was an angel, a princess, a… a goddess."

Daisuke said nothing, dread gripping his heart. So, this was it. He would lose her friendship too after all this time.

"I thought it was a dream," she whispered. "It couldn't possibly have been true, yet… I hoped it was."

His breath caught in his throat. Could it be… could it possibly be?

"Last night," she continued, hesitantly, "You said you loved me." She laughed bitterly. "Not like it could be true. It _was_ a dream, wasn't it? Something I made up in my misery…"

No more lies, no more hiding the truth. Taking in a deep breath, he said softly, "But I _do_ love you, Miya. I have for a long time."

He turned his gaze onto her after a long moment, fearful of her reaction, but all he saw was a lavender blur as she threw her arms around him, in tears.

"Oh Dai," she sobbed. "You really care… you really love me…"

He held her to him, unable to tell what was happening. "Miya-"

"I've loved you for as long as I can remember," she said in a muffled voice, face pressed against his chest, "but I never knew whether you felt the same way. I tried to forget… I made myself believe I cared for Ken… but it was you, Dai… only you…"

Tears in his eyes, he caressed her cheek until she looked up at him, ceasing her weeping. With a soft smile, he pressed his aching lips against hers in a kiss he had waited for for so long. 

When they drew apart, Miyako smiled up at him and told him something that caused his tears to overflow…

"You're real, Dai… you're truly real…"

Invisible Man 

98 Degrees

You can hardly wait to tell all your friends,

How his kisses taste sweet like wine

And how he always makes your heart skip a beat,

Every time he walks by

And if you're feeling down, he'll pick you up

He'll hold you close when you're making love

He's everything you've been dreaming of...

Oh baby

I wish you'd look at me that way

You're beautiful eyes lookin' deep into mine

Telling me more than any words could say,

But you don't even know I'm alive

Baby to you all I am,

Is the Invisible Man...

You probably spend hours on the phone,

Talking 'bout nothing at all

It doesn't matter what the conversation,

Just as long as he called

Lost in a love so real, and so sincere

You wipe away each other's tears

Your face lights up whenever he appears

I see you all the time baby, the way you look at him

I wish it was me sweetheart,

Boy I wish it was me

But I guess it'll never be

I wish you'd look at me that way

Your beautiful eyes lookin' deep into mine

Telling me more than any words could say,

But you don't even know I'm alive

Baby to you all I am

Is the Invisible Man...

(Spoken)

I see you all the time baby

Hum, the way you look at him, I wish it was me sweet heart,

Boy I wish that was me

But I guess I will never be

I wish you'd look at me that way

Your beautiful eyes lookin' deep into mine

Telling more then any words could say,

But you don't even know I'm alive

Baby to you all I am 

Is the Invisible Man…

~FINISH~

**A/N: **I consider this fic's love theme as Celes' Theme from Final Fantasy VI. I was listening to it while writing _Invisible Man_, and it just seemed to fit.

Anyways, hoped you enjoyed my first official Daiyako/Dailei and my first fic back at FF.N. And to all the Ken fans: Ken does find someone, but its not Miyako or Hikari (for those of us whose minds were occupied with something else, Daisuke helped Takeru propose to Hikari and that was why Hikari was happy). You can imagine who the lucky girl is. It's not because I don't like Ken, in fact, he's one of my most favorite characters, but he just became the scapegoat in this fic.

Whatever. Expect to see more Daiyakos from me; they're like my new favorite couple now, although I like the others, too.

If you have a song that you believe has inspiring lyrics (like Sarah McLachlan and a lot of the alternative genre) and isn't just some crap that has been dressed up and decorated and presented as a song to the public (such as a LOT of the dance-pop genre), you are welcome to recommend them to me.


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